EXTRAORDINARY POOLS

Taking the plunge.

Gupta, an architect and educator who lives in England, showcases 50 standout pools around the world in this elegant book of photographs that are accompanied by short, insightful descriptions. Readers are treated to images of the Piscina Municipal de Montjuic, which has a commanding view of Barcelona and its pleasing earthtones, all pairing well with the calming azure water. (The pool—and more than a few bronzed bodies—are featured in singer Kylie Minogue’s “Slow” video.) Another exquisite spot, the rooftop Thermae Bath Spa in Bath, England, taps into the city’s history as a spa town. Gupta notes a nice perk: “Residents of Bath get a discount, as they are the rightful owners of the waters, as decreed by Elizabeth I.” Also in England is Repton Park, a gated community whose old chapel has been filled with water—one can float facing heavenward in the nave, admiring the vaulted ceiling overhead. Should you be in Paris, you can swim in the Art Deco Piscine Pontoise, which has the benefit of being open until midnight. (Juliette Binoche’s character avails herself of the facility’s late-night hours in Krzysztof Kieślowski’s 1993 film Three Colours: Blue.) The book features work by female architects, including Julia Morgan’s lovely Berkeley City Club pool, lined with Corinthian columns, and Zaha Hadid’s graceful Aquatics Centre in London, designed for the 2012 Olympics. A notable modern design is architect Moshe Safdie’s infinity pool at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore (as seen in Crazy Rich Asians). The pool sits 57 stories above the city; only hotel guests are allowed, the author points out, but that hasn’t stopped outsiders from sneaking in. Many pools are pretty, but Gupta acknowledges that some have ugly pasts marked by segregationist policies. Others are emblems of privilege, private oases that show off their exclusivity. Everybody in the pool? Not quite.

A ravishing celebration of a watery world.